Minnesota AG Orders Illegal Online Gambling Sites to Cease Operations
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has ordered 14 operators of illegal gambling websites to immediately stop offering their services in the state. The Attorney General sent cease-and-desist letters, citing potential violations of Minnesota’s consumer-protection laws, which forbid deceptive, fraudulent, and unfair practices. These sites offer a variety of unlawful wagering, including sports betting, poker, and casino games, all prohibited under state statutes (Minn. St. 609.755-609.76).
The action follows a warning issued in June 2025 by the Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement (AGE) Division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. The AGE Division alerted the same 14 sites to potential criminal violations but received no compliance. The Attorney General’s current letters escalate the issue by focusing on civil consumer-protection laws.
Targeting Social Sweepstakes Casinos
A major focus of the enforcement action is on social sweepstakes casinos. These sites allow players to engage in casino-style games, such as slots or roulette, using a virtual currency often called “sweeps coins” that can be redeemed for cash or prizes.
Attorney General Ellison clarified that attempts to rebrand poker chips as virtual currency do not change the fact that these operations are unlawful. Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson warned that these sites, often based overseas, “make big promises but deliver only risk to Minnesota consumers.” The sale of virtual currency packages, which include the redeemable sweeps coins, transforms these entertainment-claimed sites into illegal gambling operations under state law.
Unregulated Risk for Consumers
In addition to sweepstakes casinos, the letters targeted platforms offering undisguised illegal gambling, including:
- Sportsbooks
- Wagering on horse racing
- Poker and live casino table games
Minnesota’s current law only permits licensed charitable gambling, pari-mutuel horse betting, the Minnesota Lottery, and tribal gambling. Because the target sites are illegal, the state cannot audit or regulate them. This unregulated environment leaves consumers unprotected: they have no guarantee of being paid their winnings, no way to verify the fairness of the contest, and no recourse if they are treated unfairly or scammed.
The full list of operators that received letters includes prominent offshore names such as Bovada, MyBookie.com, BetOnline, and EveryGame Sportsbook, among others. Attorney General Ellison affirmed his stance, stating he will not tolerate these operators openly defying state laws.
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